The Trellis and the Vine

How trellis work takes over

"Most churches are a mixture of trellis and vine" (p.8).  The title of the book is an analogy for Christian ministry.  "The basic work of any Christian ministry is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God's Spirit, and to see people converted, changed and grow to maturity in that gospel... (Vine work)...  However... Christian ministries also need some structure and support... (Trellis work)" (p.8).

Both trellis work and vine work are critical and must be done with excellence.  But vine work should clearly be the emphasis.  Payne says, however, that, for some reason, trellis work "tends to take over from vine work" (p.9).  There are several reasons why this might be, but the point is that churches and ministries can become consumed with trellis work when there may actually be very little vine work.  Marshall and Payne hope to call ministry leaders to a "ministry mind-shift" that will help solve this imbalance.

The vine and the commission

"Does the commission also apply to our own church, and to each Christian disciple?  These famous words are worth a closer look...  Sometimes our translations may give the impression that 'go' is the emphasis of the command, but the main verb of the sentence is 'make disciples'...  In fact, the participle is probably better translated 'when you go' or 'as you go'...  It is a commission that makes disciple-making the normal agenda and priority of every church and ever Christian disciple" (p.11-13).

"To be a disciple is to be called to make new disciples...  Thus the goal of Christian ministry is quite simple, and in a sense measurable: are we making and nurturing genuine disciples of Christ?" (p.14).

The book will answer questions and bring clarity so that, in the language of the parable, Christian ministries can fulfill the priority of growing the vine, and trellis work takes it's rightful place.

"We are going to suggest that most Christian churches today need to undertake a radical re-evaluation of what Christian ministry really is... We will be arguing that structures don't grow ministry any more than trellises grow vines, and that most churches need to make a conscious shift - away from erecting and maintaining structures, and towards growing people who are disciple-making disciples of Christ" (p.17).

These are the mind-shifts that need to be made:

1. From running programs to building people

Marshall and Payne suggest as the foundation for "planning" that ministry leaders first focus on the people they have been entrusted with, rather than first focusing on the programs that leaders would like to design. I agree, but would argue that there needs to be a foundational philosophy already in place for how to grow people, even before you have them. I would argue for a combination of philosophical convictions that are timeless and transcendent (standards) and extreme people-focus (context) in the execution of ministry strategy.

Apply this to sport coaching for example. Every coach will have foundational, philosophical convictions about how to develop athletes. A good coach will take those foundational philosophies and then customize a training program for the unique athletes that he/she is working with.

2. From running events to training people

"Churches typically adopt an 'event-based' approach to evangelism..." (p.18). Event-based strategies seem to be the norm for most ministries. Events have pro's and con's: they require lots of work and energy, they are entertainment oriented and even consumeristic in their appeal to attendees, they are centralized which makes them easy to control, but they require people (especially unbelievers) to 'come to us'.

Instead of events, Marshall and Payne suggest focusing on training, "which increases the number and effectiveness of gospel communicators (i.e. people who can speak the good news both in personal conversations and in public settings)" (p.19). The resulting vine work wont fit into neat little structures, but the multiplication of equipped gospel laborers in all the nooks and crannies of the community becomes exponential.

3. From using people to growing people

Ministries are dependent on volunteers who selflessly give their time, but ministries are guilty of exploiting and abusing them. "Instead of using our volunteers, we should consider how we can encourage them and help them grow in the knowledge and love of Christ, because service flows from Christian growth and not growth from service... We need to care for people and help them to flourish and grow in ministry, not squeeze them dry in the interests of keeping our programs running" (p.20).

4. From filling gaps to training new workers

"Gap-filling" is maintenance focused. "So instead of thinking, 'Who can fill this gap in our personnel?', perhaps the question we need to consider is 'What ministry could this member exercise?'... If we begin viewing things in these terms, it will open up new areas of ministry centered on the particular gifts and opportunities of our members" (p.20-21).

5. From solving problems to helping people make progress

Ministries can reach a point where they operate re-actively. They are simply trying to keep up with responses to problems. "The goal is to move people forward in holy living and knowledge of God... If you're mostly reacting to people's problems, you won't have the energy to put into proactive training and growing new work. If you take a problem approach to ministry, people with the most critical needs will dominate your programs, and these needs will wear you out and exhaust you, and reduce the effectiveness of your other ministries (p.22).

6. From clinging to ordained ministry to developing team leadership

Ordination is important, but an individual does not need to be ordained to be a significant contributor to the health and growth of the church and the flock. Holding too tightly to the profile of the ordained minister as the only individual capable of "real" ministry can unfortunately eliminate people from meaningful service. Everyone is called to serve the body in some way.

Rather, a focus on training emphasizes team ministry. Anyone and everyone can be a part of a team that is trained to do ministry. If the focus of the pastor is on training, he is able to exponentially multiply himself.

7. From focusing on church polity (a particular form or system of government) to forging ministry partnerships

Government structures in the church are necessary, but rigid structures can sometimes choke out meaningful growth, training and mobilization of people. Is a church or organization structure-centric or people-centric?

8. From relying on training institutions to establishing local training

This is not a rejection of the value and importance of seminary or formal theological training. "But a college cannot be expected to provide total training in the character, conviction and skill that is required for ministers and co-workers. Much of this ought to be done through training 'on the job' in church life" (p.24). Leaders should perhaps consider an integrated approach to training that involves both formal or external training into their regular training and growing of people.

9. From focusing on immediate pressures to aiming for long-term expansion

The urgent often crowds out the important. "We know that training leaders will help to maintain and expand our ministries, but it takes all our energies just to keep the wheels turning. However, if we take our focus off our immediate pressures and aim for long-term expansion, the pressures we face will become less immediate and may eventually disappear" (p.25).

10. From engaging in management to engaging in ministry

"Ministers do need to be responsible managers of the resources entrusted to them, and therefore they will always have a certain amount of administration to do. But the trap for them is that they become so caught up in the management exercise, they weaken the ministry of teaching and training" (p.25). A focus on training empowers others so that efforts can by multiplied in both management and ministry needs.

11. From seeking church growth to desiring gospel growth

"We must be exporters of trained people instead of hoarders of trained people" (p.25). Pastors and leaders must shift their mentality from growing their kingdom, to growing the Kingdom.

"Let us try to illustrate what these mind-shifts mean in practice with just one nitty-gritty example..." (p.26). The authors give an example of an interaction between a pastor and church member where the member asks about how to get involved. The main point is that pastors and church leaders must shift their mindset to the training and empowering of people, rather than the development of maintenance of programs. "If the real work of God is people work - the prayerful speaking of His word by one person to another - then the jobs are never all taken. The opportunities for Christians to minister to others are limitless" (p.27). The pastor/ministry leader is positioned to train people in this work.

In our small and myopic ministry context we can often feel as though there are seasons of dryness and stagnation, discouragement and inactivity. We wonder what God is up to and where the growth is, or why we're not "growing". But a look back on the history of redemption reveals similar seasons of inactivity and despair. What is God doing?

Hope emerges from the silence. It is captured in 1 Peter 1 where Christ is the fulfillment of prophecy, the long-expected salvation, and the message of hope for the world. "A breathtaking picture emerges from this extraordinary little paragraph in 1 Peter. In fulfillment of His ancient plans, God has brought salvation by sending His Christ to pass through suffering to glory. He is now announcing this momentous news to the world by His Holy Spirit working though human evangelists, and by this method He is saving people, bringing them to new birth, and granting them an eternal, unshakable, incorruptible inheritance in His eternal kingdom" (p.35).

"This is what God is now doing in the world: Spirit-backed gospel preaching leading to the salvation of souls... And by it, He is gathering a new Christ-centered people as His very own; a quiet, steadily growing profusion of leaves on the great vine of His kingdom" (p.35).

"Throughout the world, the gospel is spreading, propagating, budding, flowering, bearing fruit. People hear it and by God's mercy respond and are saved. But it doesn't stop there. Once the gospel is planted in someone's life and takes root, it keeps growing in them. Their lives bear fruit... so that they walk in a manner worthy of their calling, fully pleasing to the Father, bearing fruit in every good work" (p.37).

The focus in not on numerical growth, or especially structural growth. The focus is on gospel growth "as it is spoken and re-spoken under the power of the Spirit" (p.37).

There are three important consequences resulting from this view of God's purposes in the world:

1. We must "say goodbye to our small and self-oriented ambitions, and... abandon ourselves to the cause of Christ and His gospel... Is there anything more vital to be doing in our world?" (p.38).

2. "The growth God is looking for in our world is growth in people. He is working through His word and Spirit to draw people into His kingdom, to see them born again as new creations, and to see them mature and bear fruit as servants of Christ" (p.38). The only growth that matters is the growth of believers... "individual, born-again believers, grafted into Christ by His word and Spirit, and drawn into mutually edifying fellowship with one another" (p.38).

3. "This people-growth happens only through the power of God's Spirit as He applies His word to people's hearts. That's the way that people are converted, and that's the way people grow in maturity in Christ" (p.39). This can happen anywhere.

"However, despite the almost limitless number of contexts in which it might happen, what happens is the same: a Christian brings a truth from God's word to someone else, praying that God would make that word bear fruit through the inward working of His Spirit.

That's vine work. Everything else is trellis" (p.39).

The "simple but profound proposition" put forth by Marshall and Payne in the first three chapter is: "that the work God is doing in the world now, in these last days between the first and second coming of Christ, is to gather people into His kingdom through the prayerful proclamation of the gospel. God is growing His vine through His word and Spirit" (p.41). All Christians should agree with this proposition, although they might use more, less or different words to articulate it.

The next and very important question is then: Who does the vine work?

Is the gospel work of proclamation and prayer reserved for the "professional" - full-time pastors and ministry leaders? Or is it a job for every Christian to participate in, or is vine growth the primary job of the saints, while APEST's do the equipping according to Ephesians 4?

"The call to discipleship is the same for all" (p.42). There are no classes or castes in Christendom. "The Great Commission, in other words, is not just for the Eleven. It's the basic agenda for all disciples. To be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker" (p.43).

There might appear to be a contrast in calling and sacrifice between the majority of western Christians and that of the foreign missionary who has forsaken the luxuries of life in America to go to an unreached, third-world people group. Not all Christians will be full-time pastors or ministry workers. Ministry is not reserved for those who are "full-time". If you are a follower of Christ, you are in full-time ministry.

"Speaking God's word for the growth of the vine is the work not of the few but of the many" (p.44)

Speaking the word to one another

Ephesians 4 provides help. Whether it's the "foundational word ministers" (APEST) who have special leadership responsibilities in the church, or the saints, "we see that it doesn't make an enormous difference in our investigation. Paul goes on to say that the goal of all ministry (whoever is doing it) is the building of the body of Christ to unified, doctrinally sound maturity. We are not to be tossed here and there by every wind of doctrine: 'Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love' (Ephesians 4:15-16)" (p.45).

There are numerous examples in Scripture of the truth-speaking word ministry among all believers.

"Simply by virtue of being a disciple of Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit of the new covenant, all Christians have the privilege, joy and responsibility of being involved in the work God is doing in our world, the 'work of the Lord". And the fundamental way we do this is by speaking the truth of God to other people in dependence on the Holy Spirit" (p.49).

Is every Christian a missionary? (...YES!)

In the early church, Christians faced heavy persecution and the threat of death. But that did not stop the spread of the Gospel. Paul is the key example, and he calls his fellow believers to imitate him and to take up their commission as ambassadors for Christ. "Although the mission responsibilities and activities of the Corinthians would have differed from Paul's, their orientation in life was to be the same. Their whole aim was to be the glory of God in the salvation of others. The Christian without a missionary heart is an anomaly... We have to conclude that a Christian with no passion for the lost is in serious need of self-examination and repentance" (p.52).

"The New Testament envisages that all Christian disciples will be prayerful speakers of God's word, in a multitude of different ways and contexts. In each context, the message is essentially the same" (p.53). This can and does happen anywhere and everywhere. Marshall and Payne give 10 examples of the infinite "ways in which any Christian might 'speak the truth in love' to someone else in the name of Christ, and thus participate in God's great work in the world" (p.54). Marshall and Payne also provide an example matrix on page 56 of "Home, Congregation, Community" and "One to one, Small Group, Large Group" to further map out all the ways in which this could be carried out.

Imagine a web of relationships where the simple act of speaking the Gospel truth to one another in love is happening everywhere. So simple, and so glorious, and so essential.

"However, if we pause to reflect on the implications of this vision of vine work by every Christian, many of our most cherished assumptions about church, ministry, evangelism and congregational life are called into question" (p.57). For starters, everyone is a vine worker, not just the "professional, full-time ministers". "The pastors and elders certainly take the lead in vine work (in prayer and proclamation), and are responsible for guarding and teaching the word and maintaining the gold standard of sound doctrine. But one of the effects of this work is to equip and release the members to do vine work themselves" (p.58).

Gospel vine work is the responsibility of all Christians.

"We've been arguing that all Christians are vine-workers; that all are engaged in 'the work of the Lord'. In the chapters that follow, we'll be exploring how pastors and leaders play a crucial role in training and encouraging their people as fellow laborers in this work. However, before we get there, it's worth pausing to discuss a common set of objections" (p.61).

What should the "normal Christian life" look like? What is the expectation for every follower of Christ? If we are to place disciple-making expectations on every believer, are these expectations biblical and fair?

Marshall and Payne draw answers from the book of Philippians...

The Philippians are called partners in the Gospel by Paul. "They were partners in suffering; partners in the 'defense and confirmation of the gospel' (1:7); partners with Paul and with each other" (p.65). Paul was in prison for proclaiming Christ. All those who identify with him in Christ are partners in the same endeavor. All Christians are in the game.

"According to Paul, gospel partnership is the normal Christian life. It means standing together united in the gospel, determined to live as citizens of heaven in the midst of our corrupt generation, longing and striving to see the gospel be defended and proclaimed, and bravely copping the conflict, struggle and persecution that inevitably follow" (p.66).

"There aren't two classes of Christians - the partners and the spectators. We're all in it together" (p.66).

"The immeasurable free grace of God that came to them through faith in Christ was not a license for an easy, comfortable life with a dash of spirituality on the side; rather, it was a passport to a new citizenship of suffering and contending side by side for the gospel. Paul was their leader, example and fellow soldier in this fight... all pastors and elders are also just partners... A pastor or elder is a vine-worker who has been given a particular responsibility to care for and equip the people for their partnership in the gospel..."

"Which brings us inevitably to 'training'" (p.67).

What is training?

The way Scripture uses the word training is more dynamic than what we might be familiar with in our modern work or education contexts. "In the New Testament, training is much more about Christian thinking and living than about particular skills or competencies. We see this in the pastoral epistles..." (p.70).

Imparting doctrine and life

An example is given from 1 Timothy 4:7, which says, "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness." "The focus here is on teaching and example, leading to a particular character of life rather than to a particular skill or competency" (p.70, emphasis added). A different Greek word is used in 2 Timothy 3:16, but is still translated training. "This is the normal word for instruction or teaching intended to form proper patterns of behavior" (p.71).

The concept is developed further when the passage in 2 Timothy 3 goes on to say that, by being trained in righteousness, the man of God is made adequate and equipped for every good work. "It's the 'training' in righteousness that leads to the proficiency, but the proficiency here is not a particular skill - such as being able to teach clearly, or lead a small group, or whatever - but the quality of character and behavior based on the sound doctrine of the Scriptures" (p.71, emphasis added).

"The heart of training is not to impart a skill, but to impart sound doctrine. Paul uses the language of 'training' to refer to a lifelong process whereby Timothy and his congregation are taught by Scripture to reject false religion, and to conform their hearts and their lives to sound doctrine. Good biblical training results in a godly life based on sound, health-giving teaching" (p.71).

Relationship and imitation

"The transfer of the 'good deposit' of the gospel is not a barren, educational exercise. It's deeply and inescapably relational" (p.71-72). Paul speaks to Timothy in his second letter saying, "You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra - which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me" (2 Timothy 3:10-11).

"It was not only the good deposit of the gospel that Paul passed on to Timothy, but a way of life" (p.72).

"This methodology of modelling, example and imitation was basic to Paul's whole ministry" (p.72). Marshall and Payne quote several verses. "It is worth stressing that Paul wants them to imitate not only his doctrine but also his way of life. Paul never abstracts ethics from doctrine, because a right understanding of the gospel always leads to a changed life" (p.73-74).

The example that Paul gave was primarily one of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. "Paul urged his congregants to join him in suffering for the mission of Christ, to seek the salvation of others by forgoing their own rights. His ambition to save others was to be their ambition too" (p.74).

"One of the key tasks for pastors and elders is to frame their lives so that they serve as a godly model for others - which is why most of the requirements laid down for elders in places like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 relate to character and lifestyle" (p.74).

"The important point here is that training is inescapably relational. It cannot be done in a classroom via the supposedly neutral transferal of information. The trainer is calling upon the trainee to adopt not only his teaching, but also the way of life that necessarily flows from that teaching. And so the trainer must do as Paul instructed Timothy: 'Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers' (1 Tim 4:16)" (p.75).

Training as parenthood

The Pauline model of ministry training is like parenting in that:

• It begins with birth - new birth. Even before regeneration, a spiritual parent is part of the process.

• It is a long-term loving relationship.

• It involves nurturing, formation, knowledge and wisdom, practical instruction, discipline, etc.

• It involves modeling and imitation.

• It forms not only beliefs and abilities, but also character and lifestyle.

"Training is parenting. It's loving someone enough to want to see him or her grow and flourish, and being prepared to put in the long-term, faithful work that will (in God's mercy) see that happen" (p.75).

"The relational nature of training means that the best training will often occur by osmosis rather than formal instruction. It will be caught as much as it is taught. Trainees will end up resembling their trainers, much as children turn out like their parents" (p.76).

"In the cut and thrust of life and ministry the relationship is deepened, and the trainer gains insights into the character of the trainee.

Trainees likewise need to see into the heart of their trainers - the sins and confessions, the fears and faith, the visions and realities, the successes and failures. The life and ministry of the trainer is a model for the trainee - not of perfection but of godly desires in an earthen vessel. This requires an honest, open sharing of our lives" (p.76).

The home is a preeminent context for the "real life" version of anyone.

Formal training is invaluable and irreplaceable and is complementary to relational training. True formative training will require both.

What about skills, courses and programs?

"Perhaps with the biblical emphasis firmly in the right place - on the training of mind and heart and character by the word of God - we are not ready to talk about skills or competencies in training" (p.77).

Having the ability to teach is an example of a skill required of the leader in Scripture (1 Timothy 3:2). Skills are critical in ministry, but they "must never be separated from the gospel - from the truth of sound doctrine, and the godly character that accords with it..."

"It's very east to get carried away with 'competencies' - to think that if only we get the skills and techniques right then everything will fall into place, and growth will be assured. It's east to focus on skills as an end in themselves, and to put too much trust in them" (p.78).

Christ-like character is primary, upon which critical skills for effective Gospel ministry are developed. Marshall and Payne will summarize the goal of training with three C's:

• Conviction - knowledge of God and understanding of the Bible.

• Character - godly character and life that accords with sound doctrine.

• Competency - ability to prayerfully speak God's word to others in a variety of ways.

With a solid biblical understanding of training, we can begin to develop structures, strategies and resources. Keep in mind...

"...to make real progress in helping the Christians in your [ministry]... they need more than a six-week course. They need the example of seeing it done; and they need the personal instruction and mentoring and prayer that addresses the spiritual issues at the heart... This takes time and personal attention - before, during and after the structured training opportunity" (p.79).

GROWTH

What is the growth that we seek in ministry? What does it look like? How is it measured? How does it happen? These are essential questions to ask for every Christian, not to mention every ministry leader.

Marshall and Payne will call it "gospel growth". Looking at passages like Colossians 1, Gospel growth seems to have two facets:

• The gospel grows/spreads geographically - from person to person and place to place.

• The gospel grows within individuals as they "hear and understand" and grow in spiritual maturity.

This is not complex or revolutionary, but it does lead to three important implications for ministry practice:

1. "The first is that the growth of the gospel happens in the lives of people, not in the structures of my church" (p.82). AKA, the growth of the trellis is not the growth of the vine. We may increase programs, events, committees, staff, etc. (which are not bad), "But if people are not growing their knowledge of God's will so that they walk ever more worthily of the Lord, seeking to please Him in all things and bearing fruit in every good work, then there is no growth to speak of happening at all" (p.82).

"We may multiply the number of programs, events, committees and other activities that our church is engaged in; we may enlarge and modernize our buildings; we may re-cast our regular meetings to be attractive and effective in communicating to our culture; we may congratulate ourselves that numbers are up. And all of these are good things! But if people are not growing their knowledge of God's will so that they walk ever more worthily of the Lord, seeking to please Him in all things and bearing fruit in every good work, then there is no growth to speak of happening at all" (p.82).

"Numerical or structural growth is not necessarily an indicator of gospel growth" (p.83).

2. "We must be willing to lose people from our own congregation if that is better for the growth of the gospel" (p.83). The growth of the gospel and of God's Kingdom around the world may require you to send people from your ministry to other parts of the world. This requires a mentality that ministry is not growing your 'kingdom', but God's Kingdom.

3. This changes the way we think about people. People are not to be used as labor to carry out projects and operations. Each person is on their own path to maturity in Christ. Our goal as ministry leaders is to encourage their advancement.

"Let's think about this in more detail"...

Marshall and Payne will propose four stages of Gospel growth in a person's life (p.84):

1. Outreach - Initial engagement with the Gospel, respond in repentance and faith leading to salvation.

2. Follow-up - Early stages of development as an infant in the faith. Requires close involvement from mentors and mature believers in the community of the church.

3. Growth - Later stages of development as the believer matures. Still in the context of community.

4. Training - (This is intermingled with the Growth phase, but...) Focused more specifically on multiplication. "It is that state in which their growth in conviction, character, and competencies leads them to minister effectively to others" (p.85).

[This could easily break down into categories that match the FCA E3 methods.]

Keep in mind, not all people will develop into the same kind of ministry leader. "There are a myriad of contexts and opportunities for vine work, and each Christian will have his or her God-given part to play" (p.86).

"Training Christians to be vine-workers does not simply mean the impartation of certain skills and abilities. Christian discipleship is about sound doctrine and a godly life, and so to train or equip someone to minister to others means training and equipping them with godliness and right thinking, not just with a set of skills - because that in turn is how they will need to minister to others. In order to follow up a new Christian, for example, a more mature believer needs not only to know hoe to run through a set of basic Bible studies; they also need to be able to model mature Christian faith and life" (p.86).

Marshall and Payne provide a sample grid to track the progress of your people through these four stages. This is like the E3 Tracker that was developed last year within FCA. "The point of using this sort of tool is not to turn Christian ministry into a set of lists but to help us focus on people - because ministry is about people, not programs" (p.88).

The goal when using a tracker like this or like the E3 Tracker is simply to "move each person to the right" (assuming the early stages are on the left and the later/mature stages are on the right). There are other beneficial diagnostics as well, such as "If there are lots in the outreach category but almost none in the follow-up category, there's every chance that you're running lots of events and programs to make contact with people, but not prayerfully sharing the gospel often enough so that people are actually converted and need to be followed up" (p.90).

"Training is the engine of gospel growth. Under God, the way to get more gospel growth happening is to train more and more mature, godly Christians to be vine-workers - that is, to see more people equipped, resourced and encouraged to speak the word prayerfully to other people, whether in outreach, follow-up or Christian growth" (p.90).

The ministry mindset and strategy proposed by Marshall and Payne in this book will inevitably collide with current ministry structures and practices. "By far the greatest obstacle to rethinking and reforming our ministries is the inertia of tradition" (p.93, emphasis added). There are three 'traditional' approaches to pastoral ministry that Marshall and Payne will examine and compare. They call them:

• The pastor as service-providing clergyman

• The pastor as CEO

• The pastor as trainer

The pastor as service-providing clergyman

"In this way of thinking about church life and ministry, the pastor's role is to care for and feed the congregation" (p.94). For this kind of pastor, there are certain (often unspoken) expectations to fulfill, primarily the management of Sunday gatherings and other special services, preaching and the sacraments, and the personal and pastoral counseling of church members. There are great upsides to this approach. Primarily it's congruence with the pastor as "shepherd", modeling the heart and call of the Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But there are some downsides to consider. For one, the ministry will be limited to the gifts and capacity of the pastor. It is mostly a one-man operation. I see this in local church and para-church ministry and I'm guilty of it myself.

"Perhaps the most striking disadvantage of this way of thinking about ministry is that it feeds upon and encourages the culture of 'consumerism' that is already rife in our culture. It perfectly fits the spirit of our age whereby we pay trained professionals to do everything for us rather than do it ourselves... For all its historic strengths, the professional pastor-as-clergyman approach speaks loud and clear to church members that they are there to receive rather than give..." 

"As a model, it tends to produce spiritual consumers rather than active disciples of Christ, and very easily gets stuck in maintenance mode" (p.95).

The pastor as CEO

This approach arose with the 'Church Growth Movement' in the 1970s and 80s. I am mostly unaware of this movement, but the way Marshall and Payne describe its characteristics is a shockingly accurate portrait of most modern American churches:

• The pastor was still a shepherd/preacher/service-provider, "but his role became more focused on leading the congregation as an organization with particular goals" and "also now a managerial leader responsible for making all these things happen on a larger scale" (p.96).

• "The focus of Sunday shifted towards an 'attractional' model." This did not always necessitate forsaking the Gospel, as some people might accuse the church of doing. Many remain intensely Gospel-centered.

• "The church growth movement spawned a revolution of programs and events."

• "In a church of 500 (rather than 150), how could individual members be known, cared for, prayed for and helped in times of crisis?" It was no longer logistically possible for the pastor to do all this. "The answer was the rise of the small home group, in which members could have a set of personal relationships in which they could be known and cared for" (p.97).

There are some upsides to the Church Growth Movement. This is also fascinating:

• "One of the key strengths and advantages of the church growth approach has been its promotion of congregational involvement... Church growth research told us that if you found someone a role or job or opportunity for personal involvement in some ministry within the first six months of them being at your church, then your chances of retaining that person as a long-term member massively improved" (p.97).

• "The other key strength of the 'church growth' approach is its recognition that if a congregation is to grow numerically, more work will need to be put into the trellis. As the cliche goes, the pastor will have to spend less time 'in the business' and more time 'on the business'. This is simply an inevitable function of organizational growth and change, and 'church growth' thinking has helped any pastors to face these challenges of leadership" (p.97).

"The downside has been that for all the growth in numbers and involvement, many 'church growth' churches have also accepted the consumerist assumptions of our society. Success has been achieved by providing a more attractive and broadly appealing 'product', but the result is not always more prayerful ministry of the word, and thus more real spiritual growth. Lots of people are involved and cared for and receiving help in their lives, but are people growing as disciples and in mission?" (p.98)

The pastor as trainer

Maintaining two foundational prepositions:

• "Genuine spiritual growth only comes as the Holy Spirit applies the word of God to people's hearts."

• "All Christians have the privilege and responsibility to prayerfully speak the word of God to each other and to non-Christians, as the means by which God gives this growth" (p.99).

If these prepositions are true, the approach to ministry and the role of the pastor is therefore "one in which the prayerful speaking of the word is central, and in which Christians are trained and equipped to minister God's word to others" (p.99).

Marshal and Payne give four implications:

• The pastor's job is to teach and train his congregation, by word and life, and therefore multiply the labor force of Gospel teachers and trainers. This is the context for Sunday preaching, as well as other teaching and training contexts and rhythms of the life of the church. The whole body is a team together in this endeavor.

• The focus of Sunday gatherings becomes more potent. "We are training people to be contributors and servants, not spectators and consumers" (p.99).

• "Where the pastor is a trainer, there will be a focus on people ministering to people, rather than on structures, programs and events" (p.99). These things are still necessary, but only as they fuel people-focused empowerment. Evangelism, discipleship and care are primarily happening outside these structures as the saints are equipped to carry out ministry in their regular rhythms of life.

• Small groups are more potent as well. "Our goal should not simply be to 'get people into small groups'. Unless Christians are taught and trained to meet with each other, to read the Bible and pray with each other, and to urge and spur one another on to love and good works, the small-group structure will not be effective for spiritual growth" (p.100).

Every church looks different, and probably has a mixture of these three pastoral approaches, but the distinctions are helpful. There is a place for "pastor as clergyman" and "pastor as CEO". But, again based on the prepositions stated above, the case is clear for "pastor as trainer".

The insufficient sermon

In short, the Sunday sermon is a critical necessity in the life of the church, and the church desperately needs excellent preaching, but it is not the only ministry of the Word. By itself, it is insufficient.

Marshall and Payne take a closer look at the example of Richard Baxter who said, "I know that preaching the gospel publicly is the most excellent means, because we speak to many at once. But it is usually far more effectual to preach it privately to a particular sinner" (p.106, emphasis added).

The life and example of Paul is clear and compelling: "I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house... Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood" (Acts 20:20, 28, emphasis added).

Marshall and Payne take Baxter's insights and apply them to our modern context, proposing four challenges:

1. Ministry is primarily about evangelism. It is about reconciling lost souls to their Creator. It is not primarily about crisis management, increasing attendance, or operating an organization.

2. Ministers should not be tied to structures, but use whatever means available to call people to repentance and faith.

3. "We should focus not only on what we are teaching, but also on what the people are learning and applying" (p.107). It is far too common for ministers to focus only on the content and delivery of their sermons/teaching, and not on the maturation of the flock. Ministry is about bringing the church to maturity, not "great speakers".

4. Lay people are more educated now than ever (education is more accessible now that ever). Members of the flock are capable of effectively ministering to others.

Take an audit of all of your current ministry structures and operations "and assess them against the criteria of gospel growth" (p.108). Are they working? What should change?

Who do you need to help you? ...

Consider a "real life" ministry situation where a pastor or ministry leader has a flock that is larger than one person can effectively and individually tend to. The flock is a mixture of mature Christians, struggling Christians, new Christians and unbelievers who are on the fringe (there are probably others types as well, but you get the point). With limited time and energy, who should the ministry leader choose to invest in? He must say yes to some, and therefore no to others.

"Our first instinct is to go straight to those who need the most help... There will be pastoral emergencies and problems that we just have to deal with... But if we pour all our time into caring for those who need help... Ministry become all about problems and counselling, and not about the gospel and growing in godliness. And over time, the vine withers" (p.111).

There must be a shift from reactive ministry to proactive ministry by training and multiplying effective co-workers.

Paul's ministry, for example, was dependent upon a team of fellow workers, partners and ministers. "On the face of it, we would need good reasons not to adopt Paul's methodology of team ministry. Theologically, it is an expression of the character of the church as a body with many parts. Practically and strategically, it provides support, refreshment, a sharing of the burden, and a multiplication of effective gospel work" (p.115).

"The important principle is that a pastor should not and cannot attempt the task of ministering to a congregation on his own. We need co-workers" (p.116).

"Regardless of the structures, titles or recognition, the principle is simple: by far the best way to build a congregation full of disciple-making disciples is to assemble and train a band of co-workers to labor alongside you" (p.116).

What if you were to start with just 10 people? You could start with even less. It might feel slow at first, but it will multiply quickly.

How to select co-workers

Nobody is perfect. The people you choose (sometimes the people you simply get assigned with) will require your patient and persistent investment, and forgiveness. However, there are some standards that should not budge when selecting co-workers. Marshall and Payne will suggest eight:

• Do not compromise core beliefs and values: "A co-worker must be completely dependable in rightly handling the word of truth. You must be able to trust them to teach others" (p.119).

• Do not show preference to "flashiness" over substance: Choose character over charisma. "It is far more important to look for someone who really loves and obeys Christ, who lives a godly and disciplined life, whose family life is exemplary, and who has a servant heart" (p.119).

• Do not ignore the track record: Does this person have a history and a reputation as a faithful servant?

• Do not compromise social competence: "Christian ministry is inescapably relational, and some people are just not gifted relationally" (p.119). Some social skills can be acquired.

• Do not recruit out of desperation: It is a big mistake to take someone onto your team just because you have a need and they're there. "It is much better to keep your team small, tight, unified and effective than to pull people on board who aren't ready or right" (p.119).

• Do not select those who are "unteachable": Choose those who demonstrate humility and a desire to grow. Choose those who have firm convictions, but know how to hold them lovingly.

• Do not select 'yes' people: It is tempting to select those who simply follow, but you're seeking fellow leaders. Choose to work with those who you would want to follow, not just those who want to follow you.

• Do not invite generally: Selecting the right co-workers is as important as anything. You invitation must be personal, specific, and steeped in prayer.

Tips for training co-workers

After identifying your team, make a very specific, personal and glorious invitation. "We're inviting people to join us in the most significant work in the world - the work that God is doing to gather people into His kingdom through the prayerful proclamation of the gospel of His Son. So we're recruiting people to be part of a cause that is worth giving their lives to, and we should set this vision before our potential co-workers in all its glory and grandeur" (p.120).

With the grandeur of the invitation and the vision set before the team, there is an equally important need to define objectives, expectations and commitment. Paint a glorious picture of the destination, then trace out a glorious pathway to reach it. Marshall and Payne given an example on page 121.

Provide detail for the time and energy commitment, as well as the fruitfulness you hope to see as a result of their participation. Think of fruitfulness both externally in evangelism and ministry, as well as internally in personal growth and relationships.

"These are just brief examples to illustrate what we hope is a self-evident principle - namely, that if we are going to call people to labor alongside us in ministry, then we need to enthuse and excite them about the magnitude of what we are doing (making disciples for Christ!), and to set clear, realistic and attainable goals and expectations for their training" (p.122)

Co-workers, vine-workers and the bigger picture

Marshall and Payne give a five-point summary of the book so far on pages 122 and 123. They then give some illustrations to further explain the application of these principles in your ministry or local church. The emphasis is, "selecting some co-workers up front is the first step towards creating a growing fellowship of workers of all different kinds" (p.125).

As growth occurs, it will inevitable become more complex and messy. That is the inescapable nature of growth. It becomes more diverse and elaborate, like a healthy vine on a trellis. If growth like this continues, you will need more leaders. "Where are they going to come from?" (p.126). That is the focus of the next chapter.

God calls his laborers into the harvest field. How can we act intentionally and proactively to call people to ministry leadership and service? "By what means, or through what agency, does God call and raise up the next generation of pastors and evangelists?" (p.127).

"We want to suggest in the chapter that it is by pastors actively recruiting suitable people within their churches, and challenging them to expend their lives for the work of the gospel" (p.128).

"Whatever the reason, most of us are reluctant to challenge people to full-time gospel work" (p.128). Don't leave the call to pastoral ministry or ministry leadership to chance.

Marshall and Payne will deal with some common questions or objections to the idea of 'ministry recruitment':

• Understanding the concept of calling - "The Bible doesn't speak of people being 'called' to be a doctor or lawyer or a missionary or a pastor. God calls us to Himself, to be Christian" (p.130). All Christians are called by God to follow Him in a joyful, resurrected-life of obedience and mission. However, the New Testament does distinguish a special office of overseer, or elder. "The key thing seems to be that some are set apart or recognized or chosen - because of their convictions, character, and competency - and entrusted with the responsibility under God for particular ministries" (p.132).

• How does one discern this "calling"? Posing this question can be confusing and even harmful in the decision-making process because there is little objective direction provided.

"It has become traditional for the personal, subjective sense of 'calling' to be the determinative factor in people offering themselves for full-time Christian ministry" (p.132-133).

• ...But the Bible doesn't speak in such terms. "Search as we may, we don't find in the Bible any example or concept of an inner call to ministry" (p.133). What we do see is the agency of elders and ministry leaders identifying and inviting trustworthy men and women to devote themselves to the work of the church and the mission of God's Kingdom.

• Should ministry always be full-time paid or can there be variations in capacity? Marshall and Payne seem to say that if it is possible, ministers should be freed up and compensated to devote their full time to the ministry, that that is not the requirement. People can and should be invited to serve faithfully even if they cannot do so full-time. But again, the priority should be placed on enlisting full-time gospel ministers who are able to teach and pastor. Without them, the Church will flounder.

• Does the classification of the full-time vocational minister create a caste system in the church? Is everyday, secular work less important? In short, no. All work is valuable and a means of bringing God's Kingdom to reign on earth.

"There are not two classes of disciples - we are all both disciples and disciple-makers." But there is a special place for the work of gospel ministry in the Word and in shepherding the people of God. "Gospel work has a unique significance in God's plans for the world. We don't make disciples of Jesus by building better bridges, but by prayerfully bringing the word of God to people. And this is the duty, joy and privilege of every disciple, in whatever circumstances of life they find themselves" (p.139).

People worth watching

"What we are saying, in effect, is that we should be talent scouts. If the current generation of pastors and ministers is responsible for calling, choosing, and setting apart the next generation, we need to be constantly on the lookout for the sort of people with the gifts and integrity to preach the word and pastor God's people" (p.139, emphasis added).

Don't be ashamed to actively and aggressively recruit the best possible people.

"What sort of people should we be looking for?

• faithful in their understanding of and commitment to God's word

• blameless in their reputation and example of godliness

• gifted in their ability to teach others

• proven in their ability to lead and manage a family" (p.140).

Some additional considerations are given on page 141:

• gifted communicators

• entrepreneurs

• natural leaders

• academically gifted

• people with special cultural, ethnic or demographic connections

There are more excellent qualities and capacities to keep a look out for. Actively seeking, recruiting and training these types of people is critical to the development of ministry. A tactic for furthering this strategy is given in the next chapter.

The ministry apprenticeship is a proven strategy for raising up the next generation of Gospel laborers. Marshall and Payne recommend a two-year experience. Here are seven benefits of this type of apprenticeship:

1. Apprentices learn to integrate word, life and ministry practice.

2. Apprentices are tested in character.

3. Apprentices learn that ministry is about people, not programs.

4. Apprentices are well-prepared for formal theological study.

5. Apprentices learn ministry in the real world.

6. Apprentices learn to be trainers of others so that ministry is multiplied.

7. Apprentices learn evangelism and entrepreneurial ministry.

Marshall and Payne provide some pitfalls to avoid on page 148 and 149, and a final challenge to hold on loosely, because raising up high powered Gospel laborers means you will most likely have to let them go as you send them off to reach new people in new places. 

"The training mentality is an engine of growth and dynamism. It multiplies ministry because it multiplies ministers. It continually generates and develops disciple-making disciples - both within our congregations and abroad in the world - to the glory of the Lord Jesus, whose authority extends over all, even to the end of the age" (p.150).

Christian ministry is really not that complicated.

However, "the deceptively simple task of disciple-making is made demanding, frustrating and difficult in our world, not because it is so hard to grasp but because it is to hard to persevere in" (p.151). We are suckers for the latest fad "get-rich-quick" strategy because we want the easy way. Ministry is simple, but it requires patient, longsuffering diligence and endurance. It will only work if you never give up.

Marshall and Payne "tie together [their] thoughts with the following propositions":

1. Our goal is to make disciples.

"The fundamental goal is to make disciples who make other disciples, to the glory of God" (p.152). This must be the essential goal for all ministry activity.

2. Churches tend towards institutionalism as sparks fly upward.

The law of entropy applied to churches and ministries is a natural decline toward program maintenance. A slow drift toward trellis-work and away from vine-work. "We stop thinking and praying about people... and focus instead on driving a range of group activities - attendance at which (we assume) will equal growth in discipleship" (p.152).

3. The heart of disciple-making is prayerful teaching.

We become disciples and grow as disciples "by hearing and learning the word of Christ, the gospel, and having its truth applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit...

"The essence of 'vine work' is the prayerful, Spirit-backed speaking of the message of the Bible by one person to another (or to more than one). Various structures, activities, events and programs can provide a context in which this prayerful speaking can take place, but without the speaking it is all trellis and no vine" (p.153).

4. The goal of all ministry - not just one-to-one work - is to nurture disciples.

"In some places, the 'discipling movement' has hijacked the language of disciple-making to imply that only one-to-one mentoring constitutes true disciple-making, and that church meetings, small groups and other corporate gatherings do not. The goal of all Christian ministry, it all its forms, is disciple-making" (p.153).

5. To be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker.

If you are a follower of Christ, all of life should be aimed at this target. And the range of possible relationships, conversations and activities is essentially infinite.

6. Disciple-makers need to be trained and equipped in conviction, character and competence.

The right kind of training is critical to the Great Commission. "This training is not simply the imparting of certain skills or techniques... This sort of training is more like parenthood that the classroom. It's relational and personal, and involves modelling and imitation" (p.155). Marshall and Payne suggest the categories of conviction, character, and competence.

7. There is only one class of disciples, regardless of different roles or responsibilities.

Pastors and full-time ministry professionals are not a special class of Christians to which belong sole Great Commission responsibility. But they do have a special task within the church. "These are the foremen and organizers of Christ's disciple-making vision, the guardians and mobilizers, the teachers and role models. Pastors, elders and other leaders provide the conditions under which the rest of the congregation can get on with vine work - with prayerfully speaking God's truth to others" (p.155).

8. The Great Commission, and it's disciple-making imperative, needs to drive fresh thinking about our Sunday meetings and the place of training in congregational life.

"What stands in the way?" Marshall and Payne suggest that it is not a lack of people to train, but "stifling patterns and traditions of church life" (p.156). This should cause ministry leaders to rethink the way they lead their church or ministry. We must always ask the question, Is it working?

9. Training almost always starts small and grows by multiplying workers.

We might be tempted to bring our "structural, event-based, managerial mindset to the task of training, and try to work out how to do it in bulk and efficiently. But you can't really train people this way any more than you can parent this way" (p.156-157). The kind of training advocated in this book must begin small, personal and relational, and it will take time, lot's of time. And it will also be messy.

10. We need to challenge and recruit the next generation of pastors, teachers and evangelists.

Current ministry leaders should be active and unashamed in recruiting the next generation of ministry leaders. Marshall and Payne advocate for a ministry apprenticeship program.

It might seem ironic that the anti-program authors advocate for a program. But this is easily reconcilable with the right understanding of what a "program" is. It can simply mean a plan. Having a plan is critical. Planning programs that target the discipleship training of people is necessary. Programs are necessary because planning is necessary.

Making a start

Time to translate things into a "set of concrete goals or action steps" (p.158). Marshall and Payne provide "just one suggested plan for starting to reshape your ministry around people and training, rather than around programs and events".

• Step 1: Set the agenda on Sundays

The corporate gathering is the single most potent environment to set forth vision and corporate identity and purpose. Everything you do, especially the Sunday gathering (or whatever is the all-member corporate gathering in your ministry), should be leveraged and infused with the message of the mission of Christ and how/what your ministry is doing to pursue it.

• Step 2: Work closely with your elders of parish council

Get your team next to you and go all in with them. It's critical that everyone is on the same page. Do things that shape a unified philosophy like reading or listening to audio and discussing together. "It's all about developing a mindset."

• Step 3: Start building a new team of co-workers

Indeed focus on building your current team, but simultaneously focus on building the future team. "The principle is: do a deep work in the lives of a few" (p.161).

• Step 4: Work out with your co-workers how disciple-making is going to grow in your context

"How?" is a philosophy and strategy question. Build your co-workers while also building your strategy. "There is of course no single correct answer, because it depends so much on the gifts and circumstances of your co-workers, and the church or ministry context in which you're working" (p.162).

• Step 5: Run some training programs

"Although we have been emphasizing the need for training to be personal - as opposed to just running people through a three-week course - there are still lots of advantages in running structured or off-the-shelf training programs" (p.163). Formal and structured programs can be very effective if done right.

• Step 6: Keep an eye out for people worth watching

Be vigilant about recruiting individuals with real potential. Create an "on-ramp" for them to step toward full-time vocational ministry or greater ministry capacity. "Ministry of the kind we are talking about always generates more ministry" (p.164).

...

Q9. How do small groups (Huddles) fit into your concept of training?

The "small group" (Life Group, Community Group, Missional Community, Home Group, etc.) has become a central trellis structure of most churches today. They can be highly effective. "However, some pastors are rightly skeptical about the value of small groups. If small groups are not led and run well, they can easily become ineffective or even dangerous structures where people gather to share their ignorance, and where there is no genuine pastoral oversight. Without training, delegation of pastoral ministry and responsibility to a small-group structure is an abdication of pastoral stewardship. Small groups can be very effective vehicles for ministry, but only if we train leaders to have a sound grasp of doctrine, a godly character, and the ability to understand and teach the Bible through group discussion... Small groups can be a very useful structure in which to train people. If the group leader sees himself or herself not as a facilitator or chairperson but as a trainer, it completely changes the goals and dynamics of the group. The group leader's goal becomes the same as the goal for all ministry - not just to make disciples, but to make disciple-making disciples" (p.179).